Perfect
by WorthyPurpleCrayon
Summary: One word can change your entire life. Perfect is that word for Ally.  I suck at summaries, please give it a try?
1. The Beginning

**A/N: Hey guys, I missed you all so much! So, I finally had an idea for an Auslly story. I don't think it'll have angst in it, but still. I tried. Thanks for reading, and please please please review review review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ally&Austin. Ew, it sounds weird like that. **

per/fect. /perfikt/. Having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be.

**.:.:.:.:.:.**

"Ally, what are you doing?" Trish asked, standing on the other side of the counter in Sonic Boom. It was an average working day for me, and Trish was- once again- spending her break in the Sonic Boom.

I broke gaze from what I was doing to answer her question. "I'm alphabetizing and organizing the pick jars in order of size," I answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She gave me an odd glare. I just tilted my head back down to my work. I wanted to make it look perfect in the store, and this was one of the first tasks to get it there.

There's something "odd" about me when it comes to the word perfect. I always want everything I do to be perfect. If it's not perfect, I have to do it again and again until it is. This was one of those things that I had to do a few times before I decided it was perfect.

"That's not normal, Ally," Trish said. She was still staring at me with that odd glare on her face. I looked back up at her, innocently.

"So?" I said in the sweetest voice I could muster up. It wasn't a perfect voice though. Ugh, now it will bother me.

"So, is there something you should tell me?" She asked. Now I was really confused. What did she mean by this?

"Uh, not that I know of?" I said, turning my statement into a question instead.

"Do you have like-" Trish was cut off by the punding of drums. I turned around to see a blonde boy playing the drums, and a ginger recording him. I left my station at the counter and walked over to them.

When I got closer to the boys, I noticed that the blonde was playing the drums with corn dogs. I was disgusted, I'd have to clean those drums until they shined. Until they were perfect.

"Um, excuse me?" I said. The blonde stopped playing, and the ginger shut his camera. "There's no playing drums in the store, and no food."

The blonde boy looked up at me innocently. He had deep hazel eyes that I could just lose myself in.

_'Wow, Ally. He's really cute. Like, a serious ten,' _I thought silently in my head. _'Snap out of it, Ally! You're staring!'_

I broke my gaze with the boy, and he finally talked.

"Oh, sorry," He said. "I'm Austin, Austin Moon, future rockstar." He stuck out his hand and smiled. He had a goofy grin, but it looked cute on him.

"I'm Ally," I said. I took his hand and shook it.

"I'm Dez," The ginger boy said. I nodded at him, and he nodded back.

"Well, I have to get back to work." I said. "Can you please get rid of the corndogs?" Austin nodded and left the store to get to the nearest trash can. Dez followed him out.

I glanced around the store. When I realized it was basically empty, including an absent Trish, I called up to my dad, "Hey, dad! Can I take my break?"

After a muffled noise, I finally got the answer I wanted, "Sure, fifteen minutes Ally!"

I ran up the stairs to my beloved practice room. Sitting at the familiar piano, I opened the case to reveal the black and ivory keys.I flipped open my book to the song I had been working on. I began to play and sing.

Music is the one thing that didn't bother me when it didn't sound perfect. I don't know what it was, but that was the one thing I could count on to never be perfect. It was the one thing that I could use to escape from the struggle of perfection.

When I had finished playing my song, I felt satisfied. That is, until a familiar voice startled me.


	2. The First Nightmare is Formed

**A/N: Sorry it's been so long. I wrote the story and then realized I had no inspiration for the rest. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Austin and Ally. **

"That was really good, Ally." Trish said, standing in the doorway. She walked down and sat next to me on the piano bench.

"Thanks," I said, smiling. This is where I felt completely normal, not stuck in my perfection struggle. Whenever I was near anything that associated with music, I felt fine.

"Oh my gosh!" Tish exclaimed, springing up. "Did you see Austin Moon in the Sonic Boom today? I mean, it was _the_ Austin Moon!" She had a huge smile on her face, and her brown eyes were wide.

"You know him?" I asked, without really answering her question.

"You don't know him?" Trish counter-asked, her mouth opened in shock.

"Well, I just met him today, in the store." I said.

"But, you didn't know him before that?" Trish asked. I shook my head. Agsin, her mouth hung open. I wish she would close it. It's kind of disturbing.

"Should I?" I asked, innocently. I wondered where I might have met or heard of him before. His name had seemed familiar, and so did his looks. Where had I seen him before?

Trish answered my question by saying, "Of course you should know him! He's only been in the same school as us since kindergarden! He was even in our kindergarden, first, second, third, and fifth grade classes. He's in your Biology and your English class, too! How did you not know him Ally? He's practically a celbrity at school."

"Oh." That was all I could mutter before I was lost in my thoughts again. That's where I had seen him before. Austin Moon was one of the most popular kids at the school I went to. Even in elementary school he was popular. He was a basketball player, part of the band, and had his own clique of girls that followed him around. He could get anyone in the school to like him. After talking to him today, I could see why.

"Well, I have to get back to work, Ally. My break ended three hours ago. I'll stop by after work. Bye!" Trish called, walking out of the practice room.

Suddenly, I didn't really feel in the mood to play anymore. I didn't have any inspiration for my song anyway. I closed up my book and tucked it under my arm. Just when I was about to end my break, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

I took a look at myself, glancing at every part of my body. My hair looked perfect, curled to perfection. The outfit I had chosen to wear today looked perfect, complementing the shoes I had chosen. I smiled, being happy that everything looked perfect. Just before I went to leave, though, I caught sight of my waist.

"Have I always been this chunky?" I asked myslef, poking my waist where there was a little fat. I tried sucking in my stomach a little, but in my mind, I still felt fat.

"That settles it," I said. "From now on, I'm dieting until I look perfect." I marched out of the room, mentally adding 'my weight' to the list of things that I had to make perfect. I was going to start working on that one effective immeadiately.

If only I had known how much that one little word, _pefect_, was taking over. For that one decision to make my weight perfect started to take over my life.


	3. Jealousy Does Funny Things

**A/N: Review review review! Tell others about it! Anything! Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Austin & Ally. **

Over the next month, Austin and I became really close. We were practically inseperable. He had also asked me to be his partner. I would write songs for him, and he would sing them. Between me, Austin, Trish, and Dez, we became Team Austin. Our purpose was to make Austin's career blossom.

Austin had this weird effect on me. He almost made me feel like it didn't really matter to be perfect. Almost. It was like music, it didn't have to be perfect because it couldn't be. Music couldn't be perfect, and neither could Austin and I.

Also over the next month, my nightmare begun. My little diet to make my weight perfect turned into an obsession. I went from eating healthy to eating barely anything. I would go for a couple days only eating one apple. When my friends were around though, I would eat. Just so they wouldn't catch on. After though, I would go home and throw up everything I ate. It was a nasty cycle, but it made me skinny.

I had gotten to the point where you could see my ribs if you lifted my shirt. My wrists were bone thin and my face was sucked in. When I looked in the mirror though, I was finally happy. I was at the perfect weight, seventy-eight pounds. I smiled and mentally crossed that off my perfect list.

I walked into the Sonic Boom and opened up shop. I saw Austin outside walking in. Before he made it to the door though, he saw a blonde cheerleaeder. He immediately started following her with a grin on his face.

I felt a pang of something in my stomach. I automatically knew what it was, but I wasn't sure why. Why did I feel jealous? Austin was just my best friend. Ally, Ally, Ally, you know you can't like him! What are you thinking Ally? Ally, Ally, Ally. The only way he would like you is if you were a perfect girl.

I added, 'be the perfect girl' to my perfect list. This one would take some work, but I knew exactly where to start.

I quickly closed the shop and ran over to the nearest drugstore. Still running, I entered the store and sprinted to the hair dye isle. I quickly searched for the perfect shade of blonde. Once I found it, I felt the smile light up my face. I grabbed the box and paid for it. Without going back to the store, I went to my house. I ran up to the bathroom and locked the door.

I peeled open the box and immediately pulled out the insturctions. After washing my hair and drying it, I started to bleach my hair. Once that was finished, I put in the blonde dye. I waited for thirty minutes, texting Austin while I waited. When my time was up, I told Ausin I had to go. I got in the shower and washed my hair again.

When I got out of the shower, I rubbed a spot clear on the fogged-up mirror. What I saw looking back at me was a skinny blonde-haired girl smiling.

**.:.:.:.:.**

The next day, I opened shop. The first person to walk in was Austin. His eyes went right to the counter as always as he started to say, "Hey Ally!" Instead of saying that though, he let out a bit of a gasp.

"A, Ally?" He stuttered.

"How do I look?" I asked, smiling and posing.


	4. Going Crazy With Perfection

**A/N: Okay, I've never done this before, but I'm going to go through and thank every person who has reviewed. Thank you to: **

**micchir333**

**CRaveRob**

**RossLynchLUVR**

**ctiger**

**LoveShipper**

**XXbAbydOILIUvSuXX**

**Kellyxlove **

**Bubblelina15**

**Hedley Girl**

**taylorlautnerismylife AND**

**BandGeek723**

**Thank you guys for supporting my story! I hope you enjoy the next chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Austin & Ally. **

"B, blonde?" Austin stuttered out. His mouth hung open in shock, and his eyes displayed a look of what seemed like terror. He looked almost scared.

"Really, Sherlock?" I said, sarcastically. "I would have never guessed!" I smiled at him, hoping to get that look off of his face. Still though, Austin stared at my hair, mouth agape, eyes frightened.

"It looks, uh..." He trailed off, obviously trying to find the right word. I smiled and waited patiently for his verdict. "What Dez? You need my help? Okay, be right there!" He called out to the air outside the Sonic Boom.

"Sorry, Alls." He said, apollogetically. "I have to go. Bye!" Austin glanced at my hair one more time before completely running out of the store.

Why didn't he answer my question? I dyed my hair for him. I did it so I could be perfect for him. Was it not enough? I thought back to the blonde cheerleader that he had chased after. What did she have that I was missing? What did she have that made her perfect that I didn't have?

I recalled a mental image of her. She was skinny, not as skinny as I was though. She had blonde hair, like I now did. She had bright blue eyes, had on her cheerleading uniform, and looked fit.

I added, 'get blue eyes', 'become a cheerleader', and 'get in shape' to my perfect list. Eager to begin working on that, I called down my dad to take my shift. I told him that I was going to take a couple vacation days. He gave me a look of shock.

"What?" He asked, a questioning look in his eyes. He didn't even notice my hair, being so surprised my my request. "Vacation days?"

"Yeah," I said. "Being an employee here, I am entitled to vacation days." He still had a questioning look, but he nodded his head. Today being Friday, I took off the whole next week. Working so much overtime at the shop, I still had a week of vacation time left.

I skipped out of the store merrily. He still hadn't noticed my hair, even though I could feel his gaze following me. I looked back at him and waved before I made my way to the glasses store a couple of blocks away.

**.:.:.:.:.**

"Do you have colored contacts?" I asked the lady standing behind the counter. She had her thick brown hair pulled into a sloppy bun resting on her head. Her green eyes looked down at me while I talked, her fake smile glowing.

"Yes we do," She replied happily. "What is your perscription?"

"Well, I don't have one. Perfect 20/20 vision," I beamed at her. She returned my smile.

"Okay," She said. She scribbled that down on a sheet of paper. "What color were you looking for? We have green, blue, gray, brown, black, violet, and hazel. We also have a variety of specialty contacts."

"Blue will do," I said. "The lightest shade possible."

She nodded. I paid the lady and she told me they would arrive in one to two weeks. After I paid for special delivery though, she told me they would arrive tomorrow. Like I had in Sonic Boom, I skipped out of the store happy.

I almost skipped back to the Sonic Boom until I remembered that I was on vacation. It was nice not having to work. I skipped all the way back to my house where I marched right up to my room.

The first thing I did was pull out my laptop. While I was waiting for it to load, I danced around my room to the music playing in my head. Today was going to be perfect.

The thought of that word made me immediately stop dancing. I shivered at the thought. Something about that word was so hypnotizing. It took over myself whenever it was said, or thought in this case.

Finally, my computer loaded and I jumped onto my bed with it. I pulled up Google and searched for gyms near here. I found one on my first try that was in the mall. I shut my computer, grabbed my wallet, and walked over to the gym.

After I paid the due to join the gym, got my card, and had my picture taken, I ran back home. I squealed out of happiness. In a couple of weeks, I would be fit enough to try out for cheerleading. It was perfect timing to, I had seen a sign around school for cheerleading tryouts in a month. If I started working out and stuck to my "diet", I would be ready by then.

In about a month, I would be the perfect girl.

**A/N: She's getting crazy right? Anyway, I just wanted to rethank everyone who reviewed and has read it up to this point. I also wanted to tell you guys about my Trez story "A Week With Dez". Go read it if you haven't, please and thank you!**

**~Chlorine (a.k.a. WorthyPurpleCrayon)~**


	5. Rescue?

**A/N: Review review review!**

**Disclaimer: Eh, just read the other ones. **

When I woke up the next morning, my dad walked into my room.

"Good morning Ally," He said. "You got a package." He tossed a box onto my bed before walking out. I know he noticed my hair, why didn't he say anything?

Before I could ruin my day with my thoughts, I greedily opened the box resting on my bed. It was just what I had expected it to be, my contacts. I jumped up from my bed and ran to the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

I read through the instructions and then tried to put them in my eyes. I missed my eye the first time. The contact fell to the counter. I picked it back up, washed it carefully, and tried putting it in my again. Again, I missed. I repeated the cycle at least twenty times before I got one in. I checked the clock on my phone. I had spent an hour putting one in. For the next hour, I struggled to put the other one in. Eventually, I got them both in.

I stared at myself in the mirror. I didn't look like Ally. I looked like a prettier,enhanced, nearing perfect Ally. In my head, I heard a tiny voice calling, _"The old Ally was just as good!"_ I pushed away the thought though. I was too mesmerized by the new me.

"Serena," I said, still looking at myself. "I'll start going by Serena." Serena was my middle name, and it seemed to fit the new me better than Ally.

I smiled and left the bathroom. After deciding what I should wear, I added on a new note to my perfect list. 'Get better clothes'. I threw on one of my better outfits.

. After debating what to do today, besides hit the gym, I reached up to an ancient piggy bank I've had since I was little. Ever since I had got it, I put whatever I didn't spend from my paycheck in there for a rainy day. Well, today was going to be my "rainy day".

I picked up the pig and dropped it on my floor. After scraping up all the sharp pieces and throwing them out, I counted up al my money. I had a little over a thousand dollars. I smiled wide, grabbed my bag, and left the house.

**.:.:.:.**

I walked into American Eagle with my head high, clutching my bag which held all of the thousand dollars. I got a blast of perfume as soon as I walked in, and a friendly saleswoman greeted me at the door.

"Welcome to American Eagle! Shirts are all buy-one-get-one half-off," She said, flashing me a grin. I nodded in her direction and walked over to the first thing I thought was somewhat "cute". It was a pink shirt with the store name across it. I grabbed that, along with a few other shirts in my size. I also grabbed a pair of jeans.

I paid the cashier and left, walking directly into the next store I saw, Delia's. I liked it a lot better in here than American Eagle. From Delia's, I got a few more pairs of jeans and some very short shorts. I also grabbed a few more shirts. After I left Delia's, I got a few more articles of clothing here and there. Then, I left the mall. I had spent about five hundred dollars.

On my way back home, I saw Austin. He looked at me, and after gazing at my hair again, came over to me smiling.

"Hey, Alls," He said smiling at me. I almost dropped a bag. "Do you need some help?" He grabbed all the bags in my right hand before I could answer. Austin was such a gentleman sometimes.

"Thanks," I said smiling. "I went on a shopping spree." I laughed and he looked at me smiling. I met his gaze, and he gasped, almost dropping everything.

"What?" I asked, suddenly feeling self-concious.

"You, your eyes!" He stuttered. Suddenly it hit me. My eyes were blue because of the contacts.

"Oh, yeah!" I said, smiling. "Cool, huh?"

"H, how?" He asked. "Why?

"Contacts.," I answered. "And cause, perfect girls don't have brown eyes," He looked at me funny.

"Ally-"

"Call me Serena from now on," I interuppted.

"Serena," He said in an odd tone. "Is that what all this is about?"

"All what about?" I asked, not quite understanding.

"The hair, the eyes, the clothes, the suddenly 'dieting'?" He asked, making air quotes around the word dieting.

"Well, of course," I said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Who doesn't want to be perfect?"

He put the bags he was carrying on the ground. He then continued to put mine down.

"All-Serena," He said, taking my toothpick wrists in his bag hands. "You don't have to perfect. You're great the way you are,"

"Well, I'm glad you think that Austin, but not everyone does," I said.

"Who cares about anyone who doesn't think you're great? Who thinks that anyway?" He asked, concern marking his face.

"Me, you," I whispered out.

"Ally, you were perfect just the way you were before all this. Why couldn't you see that?" He asked, letting go of one of my wrists to take my chin in his hand.

"Austin," I felt my eyes water. I didn't deserve someone like him, why couldn't I just get that? Even if I did become perfect, I still would never be good enough for him. "I didn't feel perfect. The guy I love didn't think so either because he never asked me out."

"Dallas?" He asked, his normally happy features becoming furious.

"No," I whispered out. He instantly calmed down a little.

"Who then, Ally?" Austin said, looking still a little mad, but trying to be calm.

I pulled my wrist out of his grasp and grabbed my bags. I began walking home without saying another word, leaving a confused looking Austin behind.


	6. Discovered

**Disclaimer: Go read the others. **

Later that night, I got a call from Austin. Being almost over the incident we had earlier, and being done putting my new clothes in my closet, I answered.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey, All-Serena. I wanted to see if you wanted to go out to dinner tonight, on me. I feel bad about earlier," He said. I nodded, then realized he couldn't see it. I blushed at my stupid mistake.

"Sure," I said.

"Great," I could practically see the signature Austin Moon grin spreading accross his lovely face. "I'll pick you up at like seven, okay? Dress in something kind of nice."

"Okay, bye," I said, hanging up the phone. Something kind of nice? Why? I would have been fine with some like, Saladworks. I really wasn't in the mood to get all fancy. I called Austin back. He picked up in the second ring.

"Hey," He said.

"Is there anyway we can just go to like Saladworks and then have a movie night?" I asked.

"Sure!" He answered. "I'll still pick you up at like seven-ish,"

"Okay, see you then," I answered.

I immediately began to get ready, even though it was five o'clock. I brushed through my now golden locks, straightening them and then curling the bottoms. I slipped on a new pair of skinny jeans, putting on a white tank top. On top of that, I put on a baby blue shirt with a music note on it that I got from Delia's. I put in my blue contacts again and then slipped on some black flip flops. By the time I was done, it was seven o'clock.

I rushed down the steps just as our door bell rung. I swung open the door with a smile, seeing it was Austin.

"Bye Dad, I'm leaving. I'm gonna spend the night at Sonic Boom!" I called out.

"Okay, honey!" My dad called back. I shut the door behind me. Austin looked down at me and smiled.

"Your blonde hair is actually growing on me," He said. I smiled.

"It's just perfect, isn't it?" I smiled.

He slid in front of me and hugged me. He leaned down to my ear and whispered, "Not everything has to be perfect,"

He then let go, and went back to my side. He grabbed my hand as we walked. I seriously thought about what he said. What did he mean, not everything has to be perfect? Being perfect makes things better, right? Finally, we reached the Saladworks.

Austin opened the door for me. He was such a gentleman. He walked in behind me, still holding my hand. After getting our salads, we sat down at a booth. I looked down at my salad. Even though I've been trying to eat again, old habits die hard.

I took a few bites and then started to use some of my tactics to make it look like I was eating, even though I wasn't. It seemed to pretty much fool Austin. I took a few bites here and there, but I knew I would dispose of them from my stomach at Sonic Boom. Sometimes I was able to keep food down, but usually I couldn't.

When Austin finished his salad (with a disgusted look on his face), I boxed mine up and left. We walked, again hand-and-hand to the Sonic Boom. When we arrived, I unlocked the doors, locking them after we were in. Austin went up to the practice room. I went to the bathroom.

After I had thrown up everything in my stomach, I used mouthwash to make my breath smell good again. I opened the bathroom door, ready to go upstairs to Austin. I didn't need to though. He was standing right outside the door, his face showing concern, and utter terror.


	7. Savior

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to write this. I needed inspiration. Anyway, last chapter. Sorry for the last minuteness. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and stuff. You guys mean s lot. Okay, bye. **

**Disclaimer: Eh. **

Before I could even slip out another word, Austin pulled me into a tight hug.

"Why, Ally, why?" He asked. It was dumb to ask me though, I couldn't speak, being crushed into his stomach. I tried to pull off, but his tight arms restricted it. I mumbled into his shirt, hoping he would get the point, but still he held onto me.

"Austin," I mumbled, again not being heard. "Austin!" I kept calling his name until it reached a muffled shriek. He finally let off just the slightest bit. Not enough for me to get free, but enough for me to breathe and talk.

"Austin, I'm just not feeling good," I said, lying through my teeth. He didn't buy it, either.

"Don't lie to me, Ally," Austin growled. I felt a drop of liquid hit my forehead. I looked up to the the one and only Austin Moon crying. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he talked. "We all know what's been going on lately. Me, Trish, Dez? Did you think we didn't notice? You were gettier skinnier and skinnier, and so much more sick looking. We were trying to find a way to help, it's just no one knew how to start."

"Why do you care so much, Austin? It's my life," I retorted, immediately regretting the words.

After having a hurt expression, he answered, "Two reasons, Ally. Because, I've been there. It hurts. It nearly killed me, if Dez hadn't been there to help me. Two, Imaybeloveyou."

I couldn't hear the last part, he mumbled it. It didn't bother me though. He'd had been there before? It hurts? It nearly killed him? What did he mean? After pondering it for a minute, it finally hit me. I felt really stupid, it was so obvious. He had been in my same place before, throwing up the little food he ate. Most likely for a different reason, but still equally deadly.

"Why did you do it, Austin?" I asked. He looked at me for a second beofre sighing.

"I wanted to fit in," He answered, sheepishly. "Why do you?"

"I just, needed to be perfect. For myself, for my friends, for you," I whispered. He gave me another questioning look.

"Ally, why would you ever need to be perfect for me?" He asked.

"CauseImightkindoflikeyou," I mumbled out, too fast and quiet for him to hear. He heard me though. I'm not sure how, but he did.

"I feel the same," Austin said, tentively kissing my forehead. I smiled. "But, you were perfect the way you were before. I miss your brown hair, and your chocolate brown eyes that I can just get lost in, not to mention that gorgeous body you had."

I felt my cheeks get hot, and he chuckled. He leaned down to place another kiss on my forehead.

"Ally, I lied. I don't like you. I love you," He said. I smiled, and shoved my face into his chest. He nuzzled his nose into my hair. This made me grin even more. If I was any more happy, I might just explode.

"I love you, too," I said, reaching up to kiss his lips. He tensed for a moment, but then pulled me in by my waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck, running my fingers through his hair.

I never wanted to pull away from this moment. I felt free, like a gigantic weight was lifted from my shoulders. My struggle for perfection went away, leaving me for good. I loved every second of it, as much as I loved the boy I was sharing this moment with.

**.:.:.:.:.**

Perfect. What a silly word. Who needs to be perfect when you have a good life for you now? Married to the love of my life, with a wonderful daughter and caring son. They follow right after Austin and me, only in reverse. Houston, our son, has the brown hair and is shy. He loves playing piano and writing. Alexandria, our beautiful daughter, has blonde hair and loves to be the center of attention. She belts out the lyrics to the songs in her lovely voice, ready to perform for whoever.

Who needs perfect when you have this?

**Okay. Hope you guys somewhat decently enjoyed it. Please review your thoughts. I am not very proud of this story, and would like to see what you all think. See you guys later! Bye!**


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